Twice Upon a Time
by PhantomVulpix
Summary: We all know the many incarnations of the classic fairy tale. But what if there were another young girl in the same kingdom, at the same time, living out a story of her own? How might her story intertwine with the one we already know so well? And, most importantly, will she be able to find her own happy ending?


div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"span style="font-size: 10pt;"~~~ /spanspan style="font-size: 20pt; line-height: 30.6666641235352px;"Twice Upon a Time /spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"~~~/span/div  
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div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"~Prologue~/div  
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div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Once upon a time, there was a small kingdom. In this kingdom lived a merchant who had lost his wife, but, in the process, had gained a beautiful daughter. The merchant loved his daughter, and the two of them were very happy. But one day, while out traveling, the merchant suddenly died. He had only just remarried, and thusly left his dear child in the clutches of her evil stepmother and stepsisters. They abused her mightily as their personal slave, and she lived in misery. That is, until one day when she learned that a Royal Ball was to be held at the palace./div  
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div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Once upon a time, there was a small kingdom. In this kingdom lived a merchant who had lost his wife, but, in the process, had gained a beautiful daughter. The merchant loved his daughter, and the two of them were very happy. He brought her up himself, teaching her the merchant's trade, and even sending her to the town school for a time. He made sure there was never a time when she felt unloved or unsafe. She was thankful for all she had, and lived in contentment. That is, until one day when she learned that a Royal Ball was to be held at the palace./div  
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div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"~~1~~/div  
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div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele and her father lived in a great stone house just outside of a moderately sized village, which lay nearby a moderately sized castle, the inhabitants of which ruled over a moderately sized kingdom. The house had once been a grand estate, filled with tenants and servants and animals. But now, only Adele and her father called it home. It was too big for them and tended to get drafty in the colder months, but they were too happy to notice. Their joy made it warm and inviting./div  
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div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele's father was a merchant, and her young mind was fascinated by all of the products he traded in. Bits and bobs, cookware, jewelry, farming tools, anything really. But, by far, her favorite was textiles. She absolutely adored seeing the yards and yards of beautiful fabric that he would bring home to resell later in town. Bright colors, intricate patterns, luxurious textures; it was a feast for her eyes that always satisfied./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"She also especially loved the rare occasions when her father would bring her along with him to court. The merchant class was that odd bridge between the nobility and peasantry. Though they lacked titles and most of the benefits of nobility, merchants were allowed access to the castle grounds for business purposes and were, sometimes, invited to royal functions. Adele always looked forward to going with her father to the castle. She had never actually been inside it, but the courtyard was good enough for her. Her father would constantly be meeting with some courtier or another about some trade agreement that Adele never paid very much attention to. Her focus always found itself elsewhere, on the beautiful gowns that all of the ladies wore. It was the most sincere dream of her little girlish heart to one day wear a gown even half as incredible as the ones she saw there at court./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"And so it was for the early part of Adele's life. Her existence consisted of her father and herself. She had never known her mother, but her father told her stories upon stories so that Adele almost felt as if her mother were still with them./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"She had inherited her mother's looks, but her father's mind. It absorbed information like a sponge. She may not have paid any mind to her father's business dealings when there were fine dresses to be beheld, but at home she became her father's apprentice. She learned much about the geography and economy of the world and its countries. She spent hours at his side, learning all she could. But for all her eagerness and promise of ability, her father worried about Adele. She couldn't see why though. They had all they needed. A roof over their heads, a profitable trade, and each other. What could possibly be lacking?/div  
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div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"~~2~~/div  
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div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"When Adele was about eight years old, her world began to expand. She began taking school lessons in the village three days every week. Like any small child, she would have much preferred to be outside, exploring the woods or fishing in the lake she'd discovered hidden in the trees behind their house. But she went, and without fuss, because she wanted to please her father./div  
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div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Later the same year, her world expended even more with the arrival of their very first neighbors./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"One of her father's old business contacts from the other side of the kingdom had unexpectedly passed away. As was a matter of course, her father sent a note to his friend's widow expressing his condolences, and, in return, received a rather unexpected reply. The widow explained that, against all societal norms, she was going to continue running her late husband's textile trade. She had many contacts in and outside of the kingdom, and could acquire a wide range of exotic fabrics. But many of her husband's old partners refused to work with a woman. She was now writing to everyone she could, imploring them to continue business with her. If she didn't start gaining traction soon, she would run out of money, and she and her young son would have to sell their estate. They could barely afford to keep it now, let alone if things got worse./div  
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div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele's father felt an immediate kinship for the woman. He had met her once before on a trip to look over some of his late friend's goods. She had seemed perfectly levelheaded and capable. And after all, he was himself raising his own daughter to be a member of the mercantile trade. He resolved to do all that he could and, not only readily agreed to continue purchasing fabrics from her, also told her of a property very near to his that might be of interest. It was a small piece of land with a simple but spacious house. The perfect amount of space for herself and a growing boy. And not only would it be cheaper to maintain, it would also bring her closer to the Royal Court, which could only be good for business./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"After a few more letters, it was all arranged. The next thing Adele knew, her father was sweeping her up onto his shoulders and carrying her out to their carriage. He was a strongly built man, though not very tall. Of course, to Adele he seemed as tall as a mountain. His dark hair was beginning to gray slightly at the temples, though he wasn't very old. His features looked like they had originally been carved from stone, but that the stone had worn down a bit over time. But Adele's favorite part of her father's appearance was his eyes. They could be the shrewd, discerning eyes of a business man one minute, and the warm, caring eyes of a doting parent the next. And when he smiled, Adele felt like the whole world could be crashing down around them and she wouldn't be worried at all. He smiled now as he set her in the seat next to him./div  
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div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""We're going to go help some new friends unpack their things, my dear," he said as he took up the reins. "Who knows? Perhaps the young lad will be around your age and the two of you can play. You need more young people your age to play with. I fear you spend far too much time in the company of dull adults like me."/div  
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div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""You're not dull, Papa!" she cried. "I love being with you!"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"He chuckled. "I know, love. But still, I think it would do you good to make a friend."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele thought about that as the horses began trotting forward. She'd never really had a friend before. Oh, sometimes she's run around with the other children at court if there were no dresses that caught her attention, and there were her classmates at the village school. But this was different. These new people would be her neighbors. What if they didn't get along? What if this new boy teased her about her frizzy hair or lanky build? Some of the village boys had done that. She had almost hit one of them for it, but her father had stepped in. what if this boy was like that? You couldn't very well go around hitting neighbors. It just wasn't civilized./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"She was still fretting over various possibilities as they pulled up to the long house with the thatched roof. There was a woman standing by a cart just outside the front door. When she saw them, she waved and shouted a greeting. Adele guessed that she was about ten years older than her own father, judging by her significantly more grayed head of hair. She wore it back in a bun that Adele supposed had been neat to start out with, but which was quickly becoming loose and messy with work./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele's father brought their carriage to a halt, jumped down, and secured the horses. Adele climbed down and followed him as he walked toward the woman by the cart./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""So glad that you made it here all right! Did you have to travel through that storm?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"The woman shook her head. "No, bless my soul, we were able to find an inn right as it hit. We waited it out there before making the final leg. Heavens, this pretty thing must be Adele!"/div  
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div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""It is, indeed!" her father beamed as Adele peered up at them. "And your youngster must be around here someplace?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Mm, exploring the house, I think. We only got here a little while ago. I've gotten most of the smaller boxes and things in, but I was waiting for you so we could bring in the heavier pieces. Care to help me with this table?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Of course! That's why I'm here. Adele, why don't you and this fine young man run along and have fun. We'll take care of the furniture."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"It was then that Adele noticed the little boy peeking around from the inside of the doorway. He slowly advanced, at his mother's insistence, and came to stand by the front of the cart. She couldn't tell how old he was. His face led her to believe that he might be a few years her senior, but she was a good few inches taller than he was. Though that wouldn't be unusual, she told herself. She was taller than most other children her age. It wouldn't be improbable for her to be taller than someone a few years older. He had a mass of tousled brown hair, light blue eyes, and a frown that clearly said he didn't want to be there. Adele's heart started sinking. She dug the toe of her shoe into the ground, began chewing her lip, and wondered if it would be neighborly to tell him to lighten up. But before she had a chance to address him, he addressed her./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""So, what's your name?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Adele."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""…..You and your father live nearby?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Uh-huh. Just down the road."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""…..Do you have any brothers?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""No." she said, irritated./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Oh…"/div  
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div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"They stood there, awkwardly. She was about to go inside and hover unhelpfully by her father rather than stand out there next to a boy who obviously was disappointed to have a girl for a neighbor, but before she could do so, he spoke again./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Bet I can beat you to that big oak tree," he shrugged, as if at a loss for anything else to say or do./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Bet you can't," she replied as her eyes narrowed./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Yeah?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Yeah." /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"There were a few seconds of glaring and silence before the two of them tore off toward the tree as if their lives depended on it. Adele picked up her skirt and pumped her legs as fast as she could in a most unladylike manner. Her competitor kept good pace, but she managed to stay just barely ahead. The grass and brush whipped past them as they hurtled closer to the tree. With her arm outstretched, braced for the imminent impact, Adele slammed into the rough bark mere seconds before the young boy beside her./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Wow!" he exclaimed as the two of them collapsed to the ground gasping for breath. "You're really fast! It's probably because you're so tall. It must be nice to have such long legs and arms!"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele stared at him as the two of them continued to suck in deep breaths. His sour countenance seemed to melt away with the thrill of the race. Maybe he wouldn't be such a bad neighbor after all. Not only that, he had complimented her on her build rather than tease her about it. That surprised and delighted her. Adele had won the race, but she had a feeling that she had won his respect. That was far more valuable./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Do you think your mother would let you come over to my house?" she asked. "There are some really great climbing trees in our woods. You can get even higher than the muzzle of a warhorse!"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Really? That sounds like fun! I've never climbed a tree before. Our old house was in the middle of a big town. All the trees were too tiny."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"A bit of the sadness came back into his face. It must have been hard for him, she thought, losing his father and leaving his home. She would probably frown a lot too if she'd gone through that. Thinking about it made her want to cheer him up again. After all, they were neighbors now. They had to look out for each other./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""So do you think your mother would let you come climb for a bit?" she asked again./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Sure, I can't see why not!" he said, the sadness flitting away as he smiled wide. "Let's go ask!"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"They ran back to the doorway and into the house. Adele never expected it to be so easy, especially considering the first few minutes of their meeting. But, just like that, Adele had made her very first friend./div  
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div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"His name was Philippe./div  
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div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"~~3~~/div  
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div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele had initially been worried that Philippe would tease her. Well, he did, and she teased him right back in equal measure. But it was all in good fun. Their good-natured banter and general love of mischief helped cement their bond over the years. It got to the point that, where you found one, the other was surely nearby. Their favorite activities included skipping rocks in the tiny lake just into the woods behind Adele's house, stalking deer and trying to get as close to the animals as possible before scaring them, and, of course, racing. Racing everywhere. It was a constant battle throughout their childhoods to see which of them could best the other on any given day. But it wasn't only with each other that they bonded. Adele's father took Philippe under his wing and always made sure Philippe knew that he could come to him with any questions about the duties and responsibilities of manhood. Likewise, Philippe's mother was a surrogate for Adele. She taught her how to sew and cook and all manner of other household things./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"But Adele wasn't the only one who was taught to sew. Philippe had an incredible eye for design. He used some of the fabrics his mother dealt in to create some of the most beautiful clothing Adele had ever seen. When he was fifteen, he began a small business of his own selling his garments to courtiers and higher class peasantry. He was a surprising success./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"When the two of them had been younger, Adele and Philippe had often taken whole afternoons to sit on one of the walls of the castle grounds and watch the members of nobility enjoying the gardens or courtyard. They had observed the gowns of the ladies and the doublets of the gentlemen, commenting on aspects and fabrics they either liked or didn't like. Now they were in their teenage years. Philippe still had an unruly mass of brown hair. He'd finally grown taller than her though, which made for a different dynamic when they raced. He was lean, but muscular too from lifting heavy bolts of leathers and velvets. As for Adele, her hair had smoothed some, but it was still thick and airy and wafted around her shoulders like a great brunette cloud. Her limbs were still long, but her curves had begun to grow in and better balance her proportions. They still made time to sit on the walls in the castle grounds, but now the game was for Philippe to ask Adele if she could pick out his craftsmanship amidst the sea of silks and taffetas./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"It was a fine summer day, and all of the dresses at court reflected this. They were made of lighter fabrics. They were dyed in lighter colors. Philippe and Adele were sitting on a bench opposite a hedge maze, observing the many members of nobility who were out enjoying the gardens. Philippe was glancing smugly from Adele to the courtiers and back again./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Finally she pointed to one and smiled. "That one's yours."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Psh. You got lucky," he said. "Go on, I bet you can't do it again."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele raised an eyebrow and scanned the garden. The embroidery of a gallant's vest almost immediately caught her attention. "Blue vest, two o'clock." She said haughtily as she turned back to him./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Philippe threw up his hands, even though he was clearly impressed. "That's the fifteenth in a row over the course of four days. I give up! How can you tell?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""I can always tell," she shrugged. "Yours are the ones that are better."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"The color rose slightly in Philippe's face. He puffed up his chest with pride like a rooster. Then, with mock modesty he insisted, "Oh, you're just saying that because you're my friend. You're obligated."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""To be honest…you're right, actually. Gosh, I didn't want you to have to find out this way. The real reason I can always tell your work from the rest is because it's so stunningly bad. I really don't know why people wear it in public. Maybe they're the down and out members of nobility who can't afford better?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Adele?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Hm?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Do shut up."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Oh, don't worry. You know I'm kidding. You're probably one of the best tailors in the kingdom. I'd love to buy a dress from you."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"He grinned, and shot back, "You couldn't afford me."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""What, you wouldn't just make me one out of the goodness of your heart?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Absolutely not! I give discounts to Counts and bargains to Barons. You, on the other hand, I'd probably charge ten percent more."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele did her best to act indignant. She crossed her arms angrily, but she had to turn away so he wouldn't see evidence of the smile she was trying unsuccessfully to force back. "Wretch! Cretin! I'll go home right now and tell Papa never to do business with you again!"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Okay. I'll walk you home. But should we stop by my house first? I think Mother was planning to bake a pie today." /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""…..Peach pie?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Uhhh, let me think. No, I'm pretty sure she said rhubarb."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"He stood up and came around to the side of the bench. Adele grinned up at him. He rolled his eyes and jerked his head toward the gate before heading in its direction. Adele giggled and skipped after him./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"~~4~~/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"And so the years continued to go for them. It had now been twelve years since they had become neighbors. Adele was twenty and Philippe was twenty-three. They still exchanged barbs like children. But Adele began to see her friend in an increasingly different way. She was beginning to see him as a man rather than a boy. She supposed it made sense, having been so close for so long. But if Philippe's feelings for her were turning in the same direction, he gave no indication. He treated her as he always had. Though, to be fair, she treated him like she always had. On occasion, she did try to drop a subtle word or glance, hoping he would get the hint. Heaven only knew if she were succeeding. She'd never had any practice before. But the more she tried, the less it seemed she saw of him. He was more and more frequently in town at the little workshop he'd opened for orders. She was happy for his success, but she missed the lazy summer days they used to spend together. That's why she was surprised to see him early one morning swinging from his horse onto the gravel of her front walk. She folded the tablecloth she'd been shaking out and set it on the steps./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""I thought you'd be in town all this week working on orders. Goodness, are you okay? Your face is all red."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""You'll never guess what I've got!"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""If it's the pox, then stay away from me," she drawled sarcastically./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Oh, don't be an idiot. Look!"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Philippe pulled out two thick envelopes with embossed gold filigree. Adele had never seen one before, but she knew what it was from overhearing some of their more affluent customer's conversations./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Mercy, those are royal invitations, aren't they?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Sure are," Philippe grinned. "I've got yours too. They're going out to everybody in the kingdom, merchant class and above. You'll see why when you read it. Anyway, they dropped this off at our house and I asked them if I could deliver yours to you and your dad. I wanted to see your face."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Well then stop keeping me hanging in suspense and just give be the blessed thing! Let me read it!" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""All right, all right. Contain yourself. Really! Such an unladylike display."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"While Philippe was feigning disapproval, Adele was tearing open the gorgeous envelope. On a single sheet of thick, scented paper, in more gold filigree, she read:/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Their Majesties, the King and Queen of the Realm,/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Do request the presence of you and your household/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"One fortnight hence upon the Autumnal Equinox/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"For a Royal Ball to be held at the castle in the Crown Prince's honor./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"All unwed maidens from the ages of sixteen to twenty-one/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Shall accept a dance from the Crown Prince./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"At the stroke of midnight, the Crown Prince shall select a young lady to be his bride./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"We look forward to you attendance."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele ran her fingers over the raised wax of the Royal Seal that adorned and authenticated the bottom of the page. Already her mind was racing. Not because of the kingdom's Prince. She would dance with him politely and surely be forgotten by him when the next blushing damsel rushed into his arms. But then…then she would be free to spend the evening as she liked. Her thoughts turned to dancing with Philippe, being held in his strong arms. She felt the color in her cheeks rise./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""So you see why they're inviting everyone they possibly can, don't you?" Philippe snickered./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Of course," she laughed with a roll of her eyes. "So their Prince has as big a selection as possible of swooning admirers to choose from."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"The two of them knew they shouldn't discuss royalty in such a way, but they couldn't help it. The whole idea was so flamboyant. But, then again, you didn't get to be a monarch if you didn't have a suitable flair for the dramatic./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Come on," Philippe said as he moved to lead his horse to the stable. "I feel like a nice late-summer walk to the lake."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""But shouldn't you get to town? You were planning to work all week."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Oh, I see. Trying to get rid of me, huh? Special plans for the day, or something?" Philippe was already passing her and heading for the stable doors. She tucked the invitation back into the envelope and tossed it on top of the tablecloth she'd been folding when he arrived./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""No, of course not!" Adele protested as she trotted after him. "It's not that. I just figured you'd have even more work piling up now that this invitation's gone out. Anyone with any sense is going to commission you for a rush order."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Well, that's why I want to take the day off. I'm going to be buried under fabric tomorrow. You can come by and help if you want. I always love your design input. And you're fantastic with a needle; I might enlist you for some of the busywork."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele shook her head and smiled as he shut the stall door behind his horse, now happily munching on alfalfa. "I don't know," she chimed in the sweetest and most innocent voice she could produce. "I'm going to be so awfully busy trying out hairstyles and picking out jewelry that I think will catch Prince Charming's eye. After all, I'll have to stand out from the crowd if I want a good chance."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"The look Philippe gave her was contemptuous and it was all she could do to stifle a giggle./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Oh, come on. Don't sulk. Are we going to the lake or not?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Bet I can beat you."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Bet you can't."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"In seconds they were off, hurtling around the house, weaving through the garden, and sprinting down the straightaway towards the woods. Adele tossed back her head and laughed. But out of the corner of her eye she saw Philippe's expression. It wasn't the carefree smile he usually wore. It was much more like the sour look he'd had the very first time she had met him. A look that clouded his light blue eyes. A look that said he didn't want to be there. Worry crept into a tiny corner of Adele's brain, but she pushed it back as far as it would go and forced herself to stay focused on beating Philippe to the lake./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"~~5~~/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Philippe was the first to splash into the shallows, effectively winning him the day's race. He laughed and kicked water up at Adele as she skidded up beside him. The opportunity to gloat seemed to liven him up and Adele soon forgot all about the strange look he'd had when they'd started out. Suddenly they were children again. They splashed about and caused a general ruckus, becoming soaked enough that they might as well have just gone swimming. When they finally tired of that, they skipped rocks for a while. Adele had never been very good. A point which Philippe never allowed her to forget. When they were mostly dry and could no longer find any suitable skipping rocks, Adele decided to flop down onto the thick mossy hillock just above the pebbled shore of the lake. Philippe soon joined her with a companionable thumph onto the moss./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""So, is this a large pond, or a small lake?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""I dunno," Adele sighed as she stretched and closed her eyes. "We've always called it a lake, haven't we? What makes you ask?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""It just seems smaller than it used to."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Well we are bigger now, after all. That might be it."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Probably."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"A comfortable silenced began. That wasn't unusual. They'd known each other long enough that they didn't always need words to fill the air. Sometimes it was nice to just sit and exist together. Especially by the lake. It was so peaceful. Peaceful enough, in fact, that Adele was just on the verge of dozing off when Philippe spoke again./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""So, this whole pick-a-princess Royal Ball thing….."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Hm?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""What do you think of it?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele shrugged where she lay but did not open her eyes. "I think it's weird."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Really? You don't think it's romantic?" he said, sitting up./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Not really, no."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Not even a little? The dashing Prince? The prospect of a single dance turning into a love story for the history books?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"She picked at a clump of moss between her fingertips. "Well it's romantic in a storybook kind of way, but it's not really a good idea in real life, is it?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Oh? And what makes you say that?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"There was an edge in his voice. Almost a nervousness. She'd never heard that voice from him before. She opened her eyes and sat up to face him./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Because they'll know practically nothing about each other. How can you marry someone you don't know?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""They could grow to love each other."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Sure, but they might just as likely hate each other."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Philippe's voice began to rise. "But what if they feel a spark? Love at first sight? A 'whirlwind romance,' some people call it!"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""It's fine to be attracted to someone right away, but that doesn't mean you pledge your life to them!"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""But when you know, you know, don't you?!"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Do you?!"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""I don't know!"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Well neither do I!"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"She realized she was shouting. They were both shouting and she didn't know why./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"When Philippe next spoke, his voice was quieter, but still unsteady. "So…what you're saying is, you wouldn't want a Prince Charming to sweep you off of your feet? You wouldn't want that rush, that romantic thrill of the unknown? Jumping in feet first?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele did her best to steady her own voice. "No. I wouldn't want that. I'd want to be with someone I already knew; not some tall, dark, handsome stranger. My heart is my most valuable possession. I'd only ever open it up to someone I already trusted."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"They stared at each other for a moment. A long moment. Adele thought she saw a look of realization in his eyes. Did he know? Had she tipped her hand? She'd just confessed wanting to be with someone she knew. She didn't exactly know many young gentlemen apart from Philippe. Sure, there were a few boys they'd attended school with in town years ago, but she wasn't nearly as close to any of them. Philippe was a smart man, surely he'd figured it out by now. How could he not? But even worse, what if he felt differently? /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele's heart and mind were both racing faster than either she or Philippe could have ever dreamed of running on foot. The few seconds of silence that were passing between them felt like years./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Philippe stood up and turned away from her. "I should get back," he said. His voice still with the traces of that nervous edge. "I really will have a mountain of work waiting."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Well, now she knew. She scolded herself for revealing too much of her heart. He clearly didn't see her as any more than a friend, but he couldn't bring himself to say it outright. If he'd returned her feelings he wouldn't be so cold./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"They walked back up to her house in silence. Not the companionable silence they'd shared by the lake. This was a stiff, formal silence. Adele was inwardly agonizing over their conversation. He'd seemed quite the staunch supporter of "whirlwind romance." Was there some girl he'd become acquainted with in town that he fancied? Or maybe he hadn't even spoken to the girl yet; he'd just watched her from afar. Adele knew she was his best friend. Maybe he'd asked her about her views on love because he wanted to pursue this girl but he wanted another opinion on romance first. When she'd spoken the opposite of what he'd been hoping to hear, that's when he got defensive./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"That must be it. There was someone else. Oh please, no./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"They made it up to the stable. Philippe tacked up his horse and swung into the saddle. Adele walked beside his horse to the front walk. Once there, she managed to find just enough of her voice to manage the word "goodbye." His only response was a curt nod. He wouldn't meet her gaze. Then he was gone just as quickly as he had come only a few hours before./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"~~6~~/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele marched upstairs and flopped herself down onto her bed for a good, long sulk. And why shouldn't she? She felt that, under the circumstances, it was an acceptable action to take. She absentmindedly stared out her window overlooking the back garden and tried to come up with some other viable explanation to explain Philippe's behavior. She could not. Adele had absolutely no idea what Philippe was thinking. She could only guess. That's really what disturbed her the most, she realized. For the first time in a very long time, she didn't know what was going through his mind. She could normally figure out what he was thinking or how he was feeling before he could. But he had behaved almost like a different person down by the lake, and Adele was left hurt and confused. And now she was feeling the beginning stages of a headache. Whether due to her attempts to understand Philippe's actions or from the unreasonable desire to cry that she was currently suppressing, she wasn't sure. What she was sure of was that she didn't want to think about it anymore just then. She'd have to later; she knew that. But right now all she wanted was a distraction./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Almost as if he had heard her thoughts, Adele's father chose that very moment to knock on the door and slowly poke his head inside her room./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""You busy?" he asked, grinning/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Not at all. Come in."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"He did so, carrying a small trunk with him which he set at the foot of the bed. His cheerful expression changed as he came to sit next to her./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""What's wrong, pet?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Oh…..Philippe and I had a fight."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Good heavens, that doesn't sound like you two. What on earth was it about?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""You know," Adele said as she managed a wry smile, "I'm not even sure."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"His heavy brows furrowed with concern as he peered at her with the shrewd, discerning gaze of a merchant. "Do you want to talk about it?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""No," she sighed, "Not really. Actually, I was just trying to stop thinking about it when you came in. what have you got in that trunk?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Knowing not to push Adele, and that she'd talk about the situation with Philippe when she was ready, he did his best to resume the excited countenance he'd had a few minutes prior./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Well, I happened upon the Royal Invitation you left outside on the steps. I know it must be terribly exciting, your first Royal function, but I know you don't have anything suitably fancy enough for such an occasion. Then a thought occurred to me that I hope you'll think is as undeniably perfect as I do! Come here, child, look at this."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"He stood and fumbled for the key to open the chest he'd hauled into her room. Once open, he slowly, almost reverently, removed a dusty pink gown from where it had, presumably, spent the past indeterminate number of years./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""It was your mother's," he whispered./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele's eyes swept over the beautiful embroidered silk and the long, dainty sleeves that ended in pointed cuffs. It was stunning. Truly, it was. But Adele also couldn't help but notice that it was nearly three decades out of date. She could also tell by looking at it that her mother had had vastly different proportions than herself. But her father stood there with his eyes sparkling, holding it out for her to take. What else could she do? She relived him of the gown and took it behind her changing screen to try it on. When she'd managed to adjust it on her frame as best she could, she stepped out into the room to the adoration of her dear father. The bodice of her mother's gown was far too loose on her. The seams all seemed to be in the wrong places, causing the heavy silk to drape awkwardly. Worst of all, her lanky limbs resulted in the pointed cuffs ending at her wrists instead of her fingers, and the hemline brushed the tops of her ankles rather than floating along the floor./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"But her father beamed. His eyes danced with happiness and he had to cover his mouth with his hand./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""What do you think of it?" he managed through what Adele could only interpret as a sudden surge of sentimentality./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"She couldn't bear to disappoint him. He was so happy. And she supposed it didn't matter now anyway. She had dreamed of impressing Philippe and dancing with him and being held tightly in his arms, but that dream was quickly dying in light of the day's unexpected events. She had no one else to impress. She didn't care about the Prince. She didn't care about the other attendees and what they might say about her. But she did care about her father. So, because of the love she had for him, Adele decided that she would wear her late mother's outdated, ill-fitting dress, and she would wear it with pride./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""I think it's marvelous," she said. "I'm thrilled that I get to wear it, really."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"He smiled broadly and extended his arms to her. She returned his smile and let him envelope her in his strong, protective grasp. Maybe the Ball wouldn't be so bad. She could still have a good time with her father. And there were still two weeks. She'd go into town tomorrow and visit Philippe's workshop. He'd invited her, hadn't he? To share design thoughts and help with some grunt work? They'd known each other too long for today's conversation to have a permanent impact. If she knew Philippe, they'd have everything patched up long before the Royal Ball. She was still sure of her supposition that he didn't share her romantic feelings, but that was all right. She'd come to terms with it. And it meant she could still wear her mother's dress without worrying over him being impressed or not. In fact, they'd probably share a marvelous laugh over it. Yes. The more she thought about it, the less bleak everything seemed. She was certain that tomorrow would bring better things, and that she and Philippe would both look forward to the ball together with eager anticipation./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"~~7~~/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"She had been sorely mistaken./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele had gotten up early and breezed through all of her chores. She'd practically galloped all the way to town after she'd tacked up her horse, and now she stood at the door of Philippe's workshop. During her ride over she had imagined how their day would go. She would sweep in like nothing was wrong. Philippe would smile, sheepishly at first, but soon he'd get excited about some gown or other and they'd be comfortably prattling on and working as they always did. When they broke for midday meal she would feel safe enough to ask about his behavior at the lake. If he didn't want to talk about it, then she would let it go and be grateful that he was acting normal again. If he did talk about it, then she would listen and do her best to take everything he said in stride, even if it meant he'd figured out her feelings and was rejecting them. It would be all right once they talked./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"But they didn't. she stood there at the locked door staring at the paper that had been tacked to it letting all prospective customers know that he would be unavailable until after the Royal Ball, and that he was not taking any more orders for the afore mentioned event. She knew he was inside, working. She had shouted for him, but he did not come. She told him that she had something urgent to say, but he would not respond. Finally she had kicked the door in frustration, and now she just stood there, staring at the paper and breathing heavily. Well fine. He may not have responded verbally, but his silence itself was clear enough. She was not wanted or needed there. Adele turned on her heel, mounted her horse, and rode away./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"~~8~~/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"She went to the workshop two more times over the next two weeks. Each time met with the same result. Adele was beginning to grow numb. Her closest friend had abandoned her and he wouldn't even tell her why. At first she had been angry. Then anger had turned to sadness. Now she just felt empty./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"It was three days until the Ball and Adele was riding back from her final attempt to speak with Philippe. She didn't really want to go home just yet. Her father would ask how Philippe was, and she didn't want to tell him about Philippe ignoring her again. She knew she could go to her father for anything, but this was just one of those times when a girl needs to talk with another girl. Adele stopped her horse at the head of the lane that led to her house. She decided to turn away and ride on. Soon she was hitching her horse outside the door of the long house with the thatched roof./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Philippe's mother was overjoyed to see her and quickly ushered her into the kitchen where a fresh loaf of bread was cooling and filling the whole space with the most incredible fragrance. Adele had avoided coming here. She'd wanted to, but how did one begin a conversation with a woman when the subject of anxiety was the woman's own son? But her uncertainty proved to be inconsequential. As soon as the older woman asked what was the matter, words started pouring from Adele in a rush that she couldn't have stopped if she'd wanted to. Philippe's mother sat and listened intently while Adele laid out every detail of the incident by the lake, as well as her efforts to see Philippe and her speculations as to the reasons for his actions. By the end, the tears that Adele had been holding finally came. Not in a torrent, like her words, but in a slow, constant trickle down her cheeks. She thought about swiping them away, but ultimately decided to just let them run./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Has he been home at all? Has he said anything to you?" Adele choked./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""No, nothing, I'm afraid. The last time I saw him was the morning he rode over to your house. He said he'd probably be staying at the workshop until the Ball was over. I must say, I couldn't be more shocked by what you've told me. It's not like him at all to be distant like this, especially to you. And he certainly hasn't mentioned any girl in town that's caught his eye."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""But what else could it be? I can't think of any other reason strong enough for such a change."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""I don't know, dear. I wish I did."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"The two of them stared, unseeing, at the fresh bread on the table between them, curls of heat still rising from its crust./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""I'll go into town today and see if I can't talk to him. He may feel he can keep his door shut for you, but if he thinks his dear, old mother will be as easy to keep out then he's got quite another thing coming."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Oh, I don't want you to go to any trouble!" Adele fretted./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""It's no trouble, I promise you," Philippe's mother assured her. "I'm just as curious about this whole situation as you are."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele chuckled at the thought of Philippe's mother banging down his door and demanding an explanation. No matter how old children became, mothers were still formidable creatures./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Now you ride on home and stop your worrying. We'll get to the bottom of this and everything will be fine. After all, this is Philippe we're talking about."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"She was right. This was Philippe. The boy she had been neighbors, playmates, and friends with for over a decade. She still couldn't explain or understand his behavior right now, and she was still wretchedly upset, but she knew that, eventually, she would find out what he was hiding. Whether their friendship came out the stronger for it, or fell apart, remained to be seen. But she would find out, and the simple presence of knowledge, good or bad, would help make things easier. It's always the not knowing that makes things most difficult./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"The two women smiled at each other, and Adele hugged her surrogate mother./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Thank you for listening. Just talking about it already makes me feel lighter."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Of course, my dear. I'm always here for you."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"With that, Adele took her leave and made her way home. She was feeling better. Better, but not quite better enough to totally erase the numbness that had come over her. Doubts about even bothering to attend the Ball swirled in her mind. First she had imagined an evening of dancing with Philippe. Then she had hoped to at least share a laugh with him about her dress, and spend the evening dancing wither her father. But she was beginning to wish not to attend at all. If Philippe was there, she would be debating all night between confronting and avoiding him. If he wasn't there, she'd likely spend the whole night debating whether or not she wished he were. Either way would make her too distracted to be of any good company to her father. She would talk to him when she got home. She would try to get a feel for how much or little he was looking forward to the event. If he seemed apathetic about it, she would ask if they could stay home. But if her father turned out to truly be looking forward to it, then she would put on a brave face and not even mention her hesitations./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"She came to the stable, brushed down her horse, and hauled a pitchfork's worth of hay into the stall. After replacing her saddle on its peg, Adele squared her shoulders and strode into the open air toward her house. She crossed her fingers behind her back as she stepped over the threshold and began the search for her father./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"~~9~~/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele located her father rather quickly. He was sitting by the window in his study, looking over some financial papers. He smiled and took off his reading spectacles when she entered. Before Adele could fish for any information about his feelings in regards to the Ball, he surprised her by coming straight to that very point himself./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Adele, my dear, would you mind terribly if I didn't go with you this Friday night?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""W-what?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"I know you've been looking forward to a dance with your old man, but I just don't think I have the stamina for events like this anymore. The main announcement not until midnight? I'm usually snoring by then. These kinds of nights are designed for you young people. I'm just not up for staying out that late anymore."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""You're not nearly as old as you're trying to claim, Papa," she said with a grin as she sank into the chair next to him. "You've still got plenty of good years in you."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Well, that may be, but I'll have even more if I'm smart enough not to burn the candle at both ends. Are you…are you terribly disappointed?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele wanted to have a bit of fun by teasing him. To pretend that it was the worst news she'd heard all day. But he was looking at her with the unsure eyes of a concerned parent, so instead she reached out her hand and placed it over his./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""I'm not disappointed at all," she assured him. Actually, it's a relief. I haven't felt much like going either."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Her father's brow creased. "But I thought you couldn't wait to go."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Remember when I told you that Philippe and I had had a fight? Well," she sighed, "We're still having it."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""I see."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"He waited calmly, quietly. He asked her no questions. He knew Adele well enough to know that she was ready to talk, and would do so more freely without interruptions./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"After staring at her fingernails for a moment, she began. Not in a rush or with tears like when she'd spoken to Philippe's mother. Instead, she spoke slowly. Coolly. Almost detached. She told him everything, from the moment Philippe had ridden up, all through her conversation at the long house with the thatched roof./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""And then I came here," she finished. "I came to find a way to tell you that I didn't feel like going to the Ball anymore. But you beat me to it."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"The crease in her father's brow deepened. "None of this makes any sense. What's he playing at?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""I don't know. I can't figure it out. But….I think I'm to the point where I don't want to try figuring it out anymore. It's just making me anxious. It is what it is, and he'll talk to me if and when he wants to. There's nothing more to be done. So don't you go worrying about it; the only thing that'll accomplish is the start of an ulcer."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""My dear daughter. You sounded so much like your mother just then. She always was the voice of reason."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele just smiled and shrugged. "Somebody's got to keep things together around here."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"The mood felt much lighter now that she'd chosen not to try to fix things. She still didn't feel like going to the Ball, and she was still upset with Philippe; but for the first time since the lake, Adele felt like things would truly be all right, even if she and Philippe never spoke again. It wouldn't be easy. She would still be hit with moments of sadness or anger. But, in the end, she would be all right./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Her father leaned back in his chair and grinned knowingly. "At least you won't have to wear your mother's old dress now. What a sight you were!"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""What are you talking about?! You wanted me to wear it!"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""I did, but that was before I saw it on you!"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""But you were beaming!" she cried. "You even had to cover your mouth with your hand, you were so overcome with sentimentality!"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""No, my dear girl," he laughed, slapping his knee. "I was overcome with the absurdity of it! I put up my hand to keep you from seeing my laughter!" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele threw up her hands and rolled her eyes. "You're terrible. You are absolutely terrible. You were really going to let me out in public wearing that, KNOWING that I looked foolish? See if I ever voluntarily sacrifice my dignity out of love for you ever again."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"But her father couldn't respond. He was too busy clutching his stomach and scrunching his eyes shut with his great, booming laugh that Adele loved so much. She tried to keep a straight face. A dignified, ladylike face. But somewhere in the midst of her father's laughter, he accidentally snorted. Adele's composure cracked, and ultimately crumbled, as she allowed herself to collapse into a fit of giggles beside him. For the first time in almost two weeks, tears came to her eyes due to joy. For the first time in almost two weeks, Adele was happy./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"~~10~~/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"The next few days went by uneventfully. Adele had thought that she might hear news from Philippe's mother, but she didn't. She busied herself with her chores and helping her father with his merchant's business. The more she kept herself occupied, the easier it was to keep her mind off of Philippe. It was his move now and there was nothing to be done. But just because Adele had chosen to leave the matter be did not mean that her mind was willing to stop thinking about it altogether. When darkness came and she lay in bed with no more chores to focus on, her brain played through their final conversation over and over again. It teamed with questions she now knew may never be answered. She tried to push the thoughts away and go to sleep, but sleep would not find her. Not until her body could literally no longer maintain consciousness would exhaustion finally overwhelm her swirling thoughts./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"It was finally Friday, and Adele had not fallen asleep until after sunrise. Her father had come in to wake her for breakfast, but when he learned that she was only just beginning to drift off, he told her to sleep as long as she needed to; straight into Saturday, in necessary. Adele was grateful. Perhaps sleeping through the bloody Ball would be for the best./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"But, hours later, she found herself being shaken roughly awake. Her father was standing over her with a large box tucked under one arm and a look of triumph in his eyes./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""What? What is it?" Adele asked, sitting up and wiping the sleep from her eyes. "It's dark out. I thought you were planning to let me sleep until tomorrow morning."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""I was. But I figured you'd want to get ready for the ball."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Papa, we've been through this. Neither of us is going, remember?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"But her father just shook his head and smiled. "I may not be going, but I think you will be once you've seen this. I found it on the steps when I went to water and feed the horses. I think a fairy must have left it there."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"He held out the sizable box to her which she accepted and placed on her lap. "You opened my mail? I'm fairly sure that's a crime."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Just open it," he chuckled./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"She did. And when she did, her whole world stopped. Inside the box was the most stunning ball gown Adele had ever seen. It was a beautiful shade of lavender, simultaneously vibrant and gentle. The whale-boned corset bodice was lavishly decorated with incredibly intricate beadwork. And the skirt! The skirt had a translucent overlay that was made from the lightest, smoothest material Adele had ever felt. It slipped like water through her fingertips, and she was sure that it would flare out beautifully when she twirled. But there was something that made her breath catch in her throat more than anything else. It was Philippe's. It was his craftsmanship, she could tell. She could always tell./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"She didn't fully know what it meant. She still couldn't figure out his previous behavior, or how this dress played into it, but whatever it meant had to be good. He had made his masterpiece, and he'd made it for her. That had to be good. She had to find out. She was going to the Royal Ball./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"But it was already dark. The Ball was probably just getting underway. She had to leave, and she had to leave quickly. Her father ran to fetch some of her mother's old jewelry while Adele did her best to tame her hair. The Jewelry, she was pleasantly surprised to see, was not nearly as obviously old-fashioned as the gown had been. It wasn't an expensive set; the pearls were manufactured, the crystals were glass, and the silver was imitation. But it was made well, and was just the right look to compliment the dress perfectly. Adele wrestled with her hair while her father clasped the necklace behind her neck, and, between the two of them, they managed to make her presentable. She hurried out the door to the stable, careful not to trip on the flowing skirt. Most people would probably be arriving by fancy, hired coaches, but Adele cared very little that her small, open air carriage would be shabby by comparison. How she got there didn't matter. All that mattered was getting there and finding Philippe. She hoped she was right in thinking that he would be there./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"The horses were hitched and ready to go. Adele stood next to them with her father. With a quick hug before climbing up and a wave goodbye, she was clicking to the horses and urging them down the lane and towards the castle./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"~~11~~/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"She made the kind of entrance any princess would dream about./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"With her old carriage safely in the hands of a valet, Adele made her way up the steps and across the vast expanse of cobblestones that was the outer courtyard. In front of her, thrown open, was the grand castle gate leading to the large inner courtyard where everyone was gathered. She reached the threshold of the grand gate. Her eyes swept over the amassed crowd as she slowly, elegantly descended the stone steps to join them. The skirt of her lavender gown floated around her almost ethereally with each step she took. She'd managed to pile a portion of her hair into a bun on top of her head, from which cascaded warm brunette curls all the way down past her shoulders. Set delicately in front of the bun was a simple tiara; gentle spirals of silver wire intertwining and interspersed with tiny pearls and crystals. Matching earrings dangled prettily from each of her ears, and a necklace completed the set with three thin strands of silver wire; more small pearls and crystals suspended throughout each strand. She looked positively stunning./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele had reached the bottom of the staircase. She was now officially at the Royal Bal amongst foreign dignitaries, courtiers, and the Royal Family themselves. Not a single one of them noticed her arrive. That was just as well, as far as Adele was concerned. She was here for only one reason. She must find Philippe./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"The courtyard was packed with all manner of people in all manner of extravagant dress. She noticed ladies with full skirts and puffed sleeves. Gentlemen with colorful sashes across their chests, some with military medals. Off to her left were tables full to bursting with every kind of exotic food one could think of. Meats and multi-colored breads and desserts she had never even seen before were piled almost too high to reach. Along the right wall was a long line of girls who looked to be her own age. They must all be waiting for their chance to dance with the Prince. Directly in front of her was the Royal Dais along the back wall. It overlooked the center of the courtyard where everyone was dancing. Adele wondered where the music was coming from, but then she looked up and saw the orchestra seated along the length of a narrow balcony that wrapped all the way around the courtyard. The result was the incredible feeling of being completely surrounded by music./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele began wandering through the crowd, taking in the magnificent array of sights, sounds, and smells. It occurred to her that she'd not eaten before leaving the house. Figuring that the food tables were just as good a place as any to begin looking for Philippe, she started weaving through the masses toward her left. She noticed, not without satisfaction, that more than one young man's head turned in her direction as she passed./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Her search of the food area yielded no results in finding Philippe, but she did discover the joy that was strawberries. Strawberries were a luxury that she had never gotten to partake of before. But ever since she had seen a painting of them, Adele had longed to know what they were like. They were sweeter than anything she could have imagined./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"The evening ambled on. The longer Adele was there, the more she was able to relax and enjoy herself. She had no less than three plates of strawberries, and she danced whenever a young man asked her. In a twist of fate that Adele rather enjoyed, the young boy, now a young man, whom she had once almost hit for making fun of her hair and build, asked if she would join him for a waltz. She replied that she would be delighted. The two of them chatted congenially during their dance; he even apologized for being cruel to her all those years ago. He blushed a bit when she thanked and forgave him, and, when the song had ended, he made a point to bow and kiss her hand. Adele watched and smiled as he sank back into the vast crowd. She couldn't help but marvel at life's little surprises./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"It was getting late and there was still no sign of Philippe. All of her hopes and ideas about their eyes locking from across the room, making their way to each other, and falling into each other's arms for a romantic dance seemed to be slipping away. Still, it had so far turned out to be a nice evening. She had even gone over and danced with the Prince once the line had thinned out. Why not? That was the whole reason for the Ball, after all, and how often did the young daughter of a merchant get to dance with royalty?/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"She'd expected a towering, pompous man with a detached air, uninterested in his subjects. Nothing could have been further from the truth; he had actually been quite charming. Smooth, black hair, dark eyes, almost exactly her height, and younger that she thought he would be. Perhaps only seventeen. He had bowed low and extended his arm to escort her onto the dance floor. They had talked about her father's business and the general economics of the kingdom. Adele couldn't help but feel a surge of pride when he complimented her on her extensive knowledge of such subjects. But the dance was soon over and he had to excuse himself in order to dance with the next damsel in line. In that moment, as he bid her goodnight, he looked extremely tired and older than his years. Adele felt sorry for him./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele spent a great deal of time there at the Ball, laughing, eating, and dancing until her feet hurt. But no matter how delicious the strawberries were, or how interesting the conversation was, her eyes were always moving. Always scanning the crowd for the one face in a thousand that she wanted to see. She also found herself slipping into her old habit of looking for his handiwork. She couldn't find anyone in the entire courtyard wearing one of Philippe's ensembles. That was strange. She had thought he would have been flooded with orders. Unless…..he had sacrificed all of those commissions in order to have time to make her gown. But why go to so much trouble for someone you aren't speaking to? Unless you intend to patch things up, but then why not come to the Ball?/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele sighed. It had been a fun night, and she was glad that she came, but her feet ached and her head was beginning to follow suit. She made her way to the base of the stairs, picked up her massive skirt, and began to climb./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"~~12~~/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"She took one last look at the revelry before passing through the grand gate back into the large outer courtyard. Her footsteps echoed around her in the night air. It may have been the first night of autumn, but the warmth of late summer still lingered./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele had reached the wall of the outer courtyard; the boundary of the castle grounds. Here there was another flight of stone steps leading down to the dirt road which branched off toward the village and various estates. She had expected there to be a valet stationed there who would fetch her carriage, but everything was quiet. She was alone. It was because it was before midnight. They must have assumed that no one would wish to leave before the announcement of the Prince's bride. The valets were probably indulging in their own celebration near wherever they had parked all the carriages./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"She stood there for a moment, unsure of what to do. Should she go looking for a valet? It wasn't long until midnight. They would probably be back quite soon. Adele didn't want to go wandering all over creation searching for a valet. She also didn't want to go all the way back to the Ball. As she looked around her wondering what to do, her eyes fell to the left side of the steps. Flanking each side of the staircase were large, flat stone pedestals. She was particularly familiar with the left one. It was one of the many places where she and Philippe used to sit to observe the courtiers. With the vivid memory came a fresh pang of hurt as she recalled a spring morning two years prior. They had spread a blanket over the top of the pedestal and eaten a hearty picnic packed for them by Philippe's mother. Adele wondered if they'd ever have the chance to do that again./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"With a great deal more difficulty than usual, Adele hauled herself and her giant gown up onto the pedestal. It was just as good a place as any to sit and wait for a valet. She sighed and removed her shoes. Her feet thanked her. Dancing was marvelous, but she wasn't used to it. With her legs out in front of her, buried under her mountain of skirt, and her arms propping her up as she leaned back, Adele gazed up at the clear sky. One of her many dance partners had told her that there was a grand fireworks display scheduled to take place after the announcement. Apparently the finest fireworks in the whole Orient had been imported just for the occasion. Perhaps staying later than she'd planned would be a good thing. She'd never seen fireworks before./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"But the minutes dragged by at an almost intolerable pace. She was actually seconds away from giving up and hunting down her carriage when she heard two unmistakable sounds. The first was the tolling of a great clock. It was midnight. The second was of someone running as fast as they could over cobblestones. Adele turned just in time to see a girl run out of the outer courtyard and onto the staircase. Her moonlight blue dress whirled around her, and her golden hair streamed behind her like a banner. Then she was gone as quickly as she had come. She had bolted down the dirt road and vanished into the night. Adele was wondering who on earth the girl was and why she had been running, but her thoughts were interrupted when she noticed something glittering on one of the stairs. It was a shoe. /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele was putting her own shoes back on and planning to go down to investigate the abandoned article when she once again heard the pounding of feet on the courtyard stones. This time, red-faced and out of breath, the Prince himself appeared. He stopped half way down the staircase, bent down to pick up the translucent slipper, and stared out hopelessly into the night. Like Adele scanning the crowd for Philippe, the Prince's eyes strained but found nothing. Only darkness. His shoulders sagged as he slumped down in the center of the staircase./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele wasn't sure what to do. If the Prince had noticed her, he'd made no indication. She could probably slip back inside the courtyard if she climbed down from the pedestal quietly enough. But she felt like she should talk to him. Would that be proper? He was royalty. Adele shouldn't approach him unless invited. But she looked at his disheveled white jacket. She saw the strands of his no longer perfectly smooth, dark hair falling across the forehead of his young face. He wasn't royalty anymore. Not right now. He was just a boy who'd run after a girl./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Not caring about being stealthy, Adele scrambled down off of the pedestal. She walked purposefully forward and sat down next to him. The Prince did not look up. He just sat, leaning forward and staring at the shoe he held in his hands./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""It's glass," Adele simply remarked. "It's a wonder it didn't shatter as she was running."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Hm." The Prince sighed and finally turned his head to her, only a misty glaze of recognition coming to his eyes. "You're Miss…Miss….."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Adele," she replied. "My name's Adele."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Of course, Miss Adele. I remember now. Your father is a local merchant. You're learning his trade."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""That's right."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""I'm sorry I didn't remember right away. You see, I have…..other things on my mind."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"She chuckled. "Your highness, with as many girls as you've met tonight, I'm surprised you remembered as much as you did after just rehearing my name. That's pretty impressive."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Well, when you meet as many courtiers and dignitaries as I do, you develop memory skills fairly quickly. If you don't, you end up causing an international incident by forgetting the name of some ancient fellow you only met one time, a month ago."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele smiled at that, and he smiled back, but she couldn't help noticing the overlay of sadness to it./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""So, you're good with names, huh? Then care to tell me who that blond girl was and why she came running out so fast?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"She knew she was being brazen. Maybe even insolent. But he had such a casual air about him, mixed in with his current melancholy. He didn't intimidate her at all. And if he were anything like Philippe, then it was obvious that he wanted to talk./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""I am good with names," he started, "but that's exactly what's so depressing. I don't know hers. I met hundreds of women tonight and the one that I ask to marry me is the one who doesn't give me her name. I thought everything was perfect; I thought she felt the way I do. But she looked up at the clock and yelled something about having to go. Then she just ran. "/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""No name, no valuable information of any kind?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""No. now all I have of her is this shoe."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele looked at the only clue the girl had left behind. "What will you do?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""I don't know," the Prince shrugged. "Try to find her, I guess. I can't just let her walk out of my life. Or run out, rather. There's no other girl in the world that I'd rather be with."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele nodded, but bit down on her lip. She wasn't about to have the same argument with the Crown Prince of the kingdom that she'd had with Philippe./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Tell me, Adele…..do you believe in love at first sight?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Shoot. Perhaps she was about to have the very same argument with the Crown Prince of the kingdom. The last time she had answered a similar question, it had turned into a shouting match that had alienated her closest friend. But she couldn't very well lie, and he was sitting there expecting an answer. There was nothing for it but the truth./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""I do not, your highness."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""You don't? You don't think two people can meet and just know that they should be together for the rest of their lives?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""No, sir. Not based on just one meeting alone. Marriage is a life-long commitment. There aren't any do-overs; at least there shouldn't be. You need to know a person very well before deciding that you're going to go through the rest of your life as a team."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"The Prince, to Adele's great relief, didn't start shouting. In fact, he looked contemplative as he mulled over what she had said./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""So, do you think I'm crazy?" he asked her. "Do you think it's a bad idea to try to find her?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Oh, no, I'm most certainly not saying that. You're very drawn to this girl. That's not a bad thing, and I think you should definitely pursue it. All I'm saying is, when you find her, take time to learn about her. Learn about her and let her learn about you before you go making any permanent commitments. Does that make sense?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""It does, actually. We'll see what my parents think of it. This whole Ball was their idea; they've been pressuring me to marry. But you're right, this is a big decision. I don't want to be tied to someone I end up hating for the rest of my life."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""And, keep in mind," Adele added, "she might not be awful, but that doesn't necessarily mean you should marry her. There are countless wonderful people in this world...that doesn't mean every one of them will be right for you, romantically."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"The Prince's gaze had been locked onto the glass slipper for the entirety of their conversation. But now, he tore his eyes away and turned to grin at Adele./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""You know," he said, "if you ever tire of the mercantile trade, I could always use another adviser."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""I don't know," Adele grinned back, "I like being in charge of my own hours."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"The two of them laughed at that, and Adele was pleased to see that a little of the Prince's depression was gone. His smile was more genuine. There was a bit of sparkle back in his eyes. Adele said a quick and silent prayer on his behalf, asking that he would find his golden-haired lady, and that they were, indeed, meant for each other./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"They had stopped laughing, and now the Prince was giving her a rather searching look. He tilted his head. "You've thought a lot about the subject of love, haven't you? Is there a young man you're fond of? Someone you already know well enough to love, or someone you're hoping to get to know that well?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"She shifted uncomfortably on the cold stone step, suddenly embarrassed. "There is someone. I thought I knew him as well as one can know another person, but now I'm not sure. We had a fight."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""What about?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Well, we fought about love, actually. He seemed quite offended by my opinions. My guess is that he's infatuated with a girl he barely knows and was upset by my disapproval. But then he…he made me something. Something wonderful. He left it on my front steps. I really don't know what to think anymore. I've tried to talk to him, but he won't answer the door. I was hoping he might be here tonight, but he wasn't. There's nothing else I can do except hope that he comes to me. It's his move now."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""If this guy willingly and knowingly abandons his friendship with you, then he's a fool."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele felt tears pricking at the backs of her eyes. She did her best to push them back. "Aw, you don't have to say that."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Hey, I'm just being honest," he replied./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"They lapsed into a short and comfortable silence. Adele sighed and suddenly felt overwhelming exhaustion in every part of her body. She needed to go home. She needed to crawl out of her gown and under her covers. She needed the warm, calm familiarity of her own room./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Do you know where the valets have parked all the carriages?" she asked him. "I think I should call it a night."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""They were probably looking in on the courtyard to watch the big announcement when I ran out here after the young lady. They're probably all still in there with everyone else gossiping about the whole situation. I'm sure they think I caught up with her and am, even now, wooing her and begging her to come back inside with me."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""If only they knew," Adele snickered. "Will they be terribly disappointed when you go back in without a fiancé?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Abysmally. But don't worry, I'll smooth it over somehow. First though, let's find your carriage. It's late. I've kept you too long." /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"The Prince led Adele to the vast stable complex where, sure enough, all of the carriages had been taken. Adele found the stalls containing her horses, tacked them up, and led them out to the stable door. After assuring the Prince that she was quite all right and would not require an escort home, she managed to pile herself onto the long, leather seat./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Thank you for talking to me tonight," the Prince said earnestly as he looked up at her. "You helped me sort through a lot. I'm not sure I would have been able to think things through so clearly, what with my parents and everyone else pushing me so hard to find someone."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"You want to know something funny? I wasn't sure if I should come up to you or not. I almost tried to sneak back inside."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""I'm glad you didn't."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""So am I."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"With a final smile, Adele waved and tugged for her horses to turn. She clicked her tongue, flicked the reins, and began the trip back to her house. Her father was already snoring, just as he'd predicted, by the time she got there. She changed into her nightdress and marveled at how the evening had gone. It certainly hadn't gone the way she had expected. And even though Philippe had not made an appearance, Adele couldn't help but be happy about how the whole night had turned out./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"For the first time in two weeks, Adele was asleep as soon as her head had hit the pillow./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"~~13~~/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Not only did Adele fall asleep quickly, she slept soundly and woke up early the next morning. It was beautiful outside. Summer had gone overnight leaving the fresh smell of autumn in the air. It was still warm, but the breeze had a refreshing edge to it. Even the trees knew the season had changed; the faintest border of yellow was beginning at the tips of the leaves./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele felt happy, but restless. She needed to move about and be productive. After getting dressed and brushing through her once again cloud-like hair, she decided that there would be no better way to enjoy the morning than going to the market./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Her trip was, on the whole, unexciting. The only detail of note was a rather amusing conversation she'd overheard two women having at the fruit stall. Apparently, according to the local Herald, the Crown Prince was in search of a girl he had met at the Ball the night before. He was, even now, combing through the kingdom with a group of attendants looking for her. She had left behind no name, but had accidentally left a shoe made of glass, and the Prince vowed that he would not stop its owner had been found. Rumor had it that he was trying the shoe on every young girl in the kingdom. Whoever the shoe fit would be his bride. Adele wondered how much of this was fact and how much was speculation; having women try on a shoe didn't seem like a very exacting science. But however he was trying to find the girl in the blue dress, she hoped he succeeded./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"The remainder of Adele's time at the market was entirely uneventful. It was only when she was riding up the lane back to her house when her morning took a rather unexpected turn. There, sitting right in front of her house, was the most extravagantly decorated carriage she'd ever seen. First she was confused. Why on earth would anyone so rich be visiting her father? Was it a new client? He must be awfully well to do. Then the realization hit her and she almost doubled over laughing while still mounted on her horse. It was the Prince and his entourage. They were here to see if the glass slipper fit her foot. Her father must have answered the door and told them to wait for her. But had he not mentioned her name? If he had, the Prince would have recognized it and been on his way. But since the carriage was still there and the Prince was, evidentially still inside, he must have no idea that she was the maiden he was waiting to meet./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Oh, Adele was going to enjoy this./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"She left her horse happily munching alfalfa in the stable. The front door of the house swung open just as she was reaching for the handle./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Adele, thank goodness!" her father cried. "The Crown Prince is here. He wants to speak with you."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""With me? Whatever for?" Adele said in her most innocent voice, feigning ignorance as her father ushered her through to the study./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Perhaps you can tell me, if you're the one he's looking for."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele had no time to reply as she was swept into the study and into the presence of the Prince and his attendants. The Prince's eyebrows rose almost to his hairline./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Why, Your Highness!" she said in an absurdly honeyed tone. "What a marvelous surprise! Do tell me, to what do I owe this incredible honor?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele batted her eyelashes and plastered on a smile that would make even the most obnoxious courtier cringe. Before the Prince could recover, a beanpole of a man standing next to him unrolled a scroll and cleared his throat. /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Ahem! By order of the Crown Prince himself, all maidens between the ages of sixteen and twenty-one must hereby agree to be fitted with this glass slipper! The maiden who's foot is a perfect match to the slipper shall accompany the Prince back to the palace! Every young lady of every class level must participate!"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele sat down in a large armchair and held a hand up to her mouth in mock surprise. "How exciting! Of course I'll agree. After all, it does say "every young lady must participate," does it not?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"The Prince, having recovered his wits by now, bowed much lower than was necessary and took her hand. After holding it to his lips longer than was socially expected, he straightened and replied, "So it does, my lady. Shall we?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"A span style="font-size: 10pt;"dele stifled a giggle. Apparently two could play at this game. Many of the attendant's faces were bright red as the Prince turned to one of them and opened a small chest that an attendant was holding. He withdrew the glass slipper and turned back to her. It was even more dazzling in the daylight. Kneeling down in front of her, he carefully removed her own, mud spattered shoe. Adele could feel the anticipation in the air as the Prince brought the magnificent slipper to meet her foot. She could hear her father behind her take in a deep breath and hold it. Everything else in the world seemed to stop, and, without even thinking, Adele found herself wishing that it was Philippe kneeling in front of her rather than the future ruler of her kingdom./span/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"But her thoughts were quickly cut off but the collective gasp of every person in the room. The slipper fit as if it had been made for her./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"The attendants shouted in triumph. Her father had tears brimming in his eyes. But the Prince was staring blankly at the shoe, all discernable color having drained from his face. Adele just rolled her eyes./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Oh, take it back, you know it's not me."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Yeah," he said dryly, "Let me just put that back in the case there. Here you go, this one's yours."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""What the devil is all this?" her father demanded./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""It's a long story, Papa, and I'll tell you all about it after his Highness leaves. But right now, I can assure you that I'm not the girl he's looking for."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"The Prince placed the glass slipper back in its case, much to the despair of his attendants. Meanwhile, Adele stuffed her foot back into the familiar cradle of her own old shoe. She shook her head./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Try the shoe on every girl in the kingdom, huh? Brilliant. Did it ever occur to you that someone else might have the same shoe size?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""It did! But I just thought that the benefits…outweighed…..okay, no. It didn't. It just sounded like a remarkably romantic idea, and I thought it would be a perfect, memorable moment to begin a relationship with. I admit, logistically, it has its flaws."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""I'm pretty sure I'm contractually obligated to come back to the castle with you now."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Oh, stop!" he laughed, not seeming very princely at all anymore./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Are you kidding? Never. This is hysterical."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Adele!" her father boomed, obviously horrified, "You do not address the Crown Prince in such a manner! He's royalty!"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Pay it no mind, good sir," the Prince assured him, slipping back seamlessly from boy to diplomat. "It does not offend me. Your daughter and I became acquainted at the ball last night. I'd say she's on good enough terms with me to be a little less formal than most. It's somewhat refreshing, actually."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele noticed that her father looked unconvinced, but certainly unwilling to contradict the Crown Prince. "Don't worry, Father. I'll tell you everything, I promise. It's quite a story, and I know you'll enjoy it."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""As for me, I should be going. I still have quite a bit of the kingdom to search, and I've imposed on your hospitality enough for one day."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"The Prince shook her father's hand and bid him good day before turning toward the door. Adele led the way back out onto the gravel walk and up to the carriage./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Well, that was fun," she said. "But I'm sorry I ruined it by actually fitting the shoe."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"He shook his head. "You didn't ruin anything. You're right, I should have thought about shoe size. It was silly."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""But you were right too, you know. It was a romantic idea."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""I guess, if it did have to fit someone else, I should be grateful it was you. Can you imagine some other poor girl seeing it there on her foot, beside herself with excitement because she thinks I've come to whisk her away?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Ugh! That would be wretched! So, what are you going to do now? Keep searching, obviously, but are you still going to go around trying the shoe on people?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""I don't know yet. I'll think of something though. I'll find her."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele didn't doubt that he would. She smiled at him as he prepared to climb into his carriage. As she did, something over his shoulder caught her attention. There, coming up the lane heading for her house, was Philippe. Adele thought that, for the first time in her life, she might swoon. The Prince noticed./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Are you all right?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Me? Oh yes, fine. Perfectly fine. But could you do me a favor before you go?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Yes, if I can."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Good. Could you possibly pretend to fancy me and make a big show of leaving? Something really flashy?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"She kept glancing over his shoulder, and the Prince couldn't help turning to see what was there. Philippe had seen the Prince and was maintaining a respectful distance./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Don't look!" she hissed./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""That's your young man isn't it?" he whispered conspiratorially. "That's the one who's been sending you mixed signals." /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele nodded, unable to speak./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Well, in that case….."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"The Prince gave almost a repeat performance of his display in the study. He bowed low with an elegant flourish and took her hand firmly in his. He pressed it to his lips tenderly, and much longer than a gentleman should. This time though, as he straightened, he reached forward and caressed her cheek lightly with his fingertips. Adele felt a bit of color rise in her cheeks. She had to admit, he was very convincing./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"With another princely flourish, he climbed into his carriage. One of the attendants on the leather upholstered front bench flicked the reins and they were off, rattling down the lane and eventually out of sight./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Philippe finally rode forward and swung down from his saddle, just like he had two weeks ago. Anger, fear, and excitement all caught in Adele's throat at once./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Did I miss something?" he asked./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"~~14~~/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Yes." Adele replied curtly. "The Prince was here."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Okay, yes, I saw that bit. Did I miss anything before that?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""…..I trust you've heard that he's going around the kingdom to see whose foot fits the glass slipper?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""I might've heard someone in town mention it."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Well, he came here to try it on me," she shrugged./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""And?" he questioned./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""And what?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""And did it fit?!"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele tried her best to slow her breathing and remain calm. "Yes, it fit."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Philippe stared at her, unblinking. She noticed that his breathing wasn't exactly even either./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""So you see," she said, turning back toward the house, "I have quite a lot of preparations to make. If you'll excuse me,"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"But she was cut short as Philippe reached forward and spun her around by her arm./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Do you love him?" he shouted./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""What?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""You can't! You can't possibly be in love with him."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Oh? And how would you know?! Maybe I am! Maybe we'll live happily ever after!"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""No, you don't love him. You can't. You told me yourself that you would never marry someone you barely knew. You said you'd only fall for someone you already trusted."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Well maybe I changed my mind. Congratulations, you convinced me. You were right, I was wrong, love at first sight is totally legitimate."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Philippe looked at her as if she had two heads. "What? What on earth are you going on about? I never said that!"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""You may as well have!" Adele accused. "Why else would you have gotten so angry with me down at the lake?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"They were shouting at each other again. Why were they always shouting at each other recently? Adele watched as Philippe released his hand from her arm, with which he had still been gripping her rather tightly, and slowly raised it to his forehead. To Adele's amazement, he started laughing. Confused, she was about to tell him to get off of her father's property, but he walked toward the front steps and motioned for her to follow. Curiosity won out and she did./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Ohhh," he sighed as he sat down. "This is rich, really. You're going to laugh when you hear it."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Am I?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Yes. At least I hope so. Let me see if I've got this, you thought I was mad at you because of your opinions about love?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Yeah, I figured you must like some girl in town and were coming to me for feedback, or something. But you got defensive when I didn't agree with you."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"span style="font-size: 10pt;""No! No, no, no, no! Noooo! Oh, you really are going to get a kick out of this. No, I wasn't mad at you. It was the opposite, actually. I asked you if you thought the Ball was a good idea because I was fishing for clues about what you might or might not find romantic. When you were talking about wanting to trust your heart to someone you already knew, I started to get the feeling that that someone…might be me. And then of course I got really excited because I WANTED you to be talking about me, but THEN I didn't know what to say or what to do because it was all so sudden and I just kind of shut down."/span/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"His brow furrowed as he paused for breath. "You WERE talking about me, right?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Yes!" Adele shouted. "Who else?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Okay, good! Wow, that would have been embarrassing if I'd been wrong."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Yes," she drawled sarcastically as she rolled her eyes, "because the way it's turned out so far hasn't been embarrassing at all."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Out of habit, he took a second to glare at her before continuing. "Anyway, I realized that we felt the same way about each other, but I just couldn't get my mouth to form words. That's why I left in a hurry; I was tongue tied. I thought maybe if I went to my workshop and collected my thoughts, I'd actually be able to form coherent sentences the next time I saw you."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""All right, I can actually kind of get that. And I'll admit that my internal freaking out was probably premature at that point. But why didn't you open the door when I came to the workshop? That just made me keep thinking the worst!"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Philippe grimaced. "I know, I know! I wanted to let you in. But I'd come up with this great plan the night before. You've always wanted one of my pieces. I decided to make you the most stunning gown I could think of. By morning, sketches and fabrics were all over the workshop, I couldn't let you in! That would have spoiled the surprise. And I couldn't very well just come to the door. Not after what happened at the lake. You never would have left without a major discussion. I wanted the next time we saw each other to be there, at the Ball. You'd come floating down the staircase…..our eyes would meet…..I'd ask you to dance. Then we could have our talk and everything would be wonderful! It was a great plan."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Hm. Yes. Sure sounds like one," Adele agreed as she nodded. "Even though it kept me in mental agony for two weeks that could have been entirely avoided if we'd just talked about it when it happened, but I'm actually willing to put that aside. This all really does sound pretty romantic. If things had happened that way, I can absolutely see myself forgiving you for all of it. There's just one problem. YOU WEREN'T AT THE BALL."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Ah."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Yeah."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Well, you see, I thought I'd accounted for everything….."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Except…?" she prodded./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Except for the results of overworking. I finished your dress in time, barely. I had to pull more than one all-nighter to get it done. By Friday morning, I had a fever. I kept willing it to go away before evening, but it didn't. In the end I had to hire a boy from town come out here to deliver your gown. The most I could hope for was that you had a good time anyway. I promised myself that as soon as I could ride, I'd come over. By this morning, I was fine."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele had, quite frankly, wanted to stay angry at him. But he'd pulled the got-sick-doing-something-really-nice-for-you-card, and how could she possibly withstand that?/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""You're still an idiot," she said. But she only half meant it, and she knew he could tell./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""I know. I won't deny that. But did you really think I liked some girl in town I didn't even know? Gosh, Adele, how long have you known me?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""I never said I wasn't an idiot too, okay?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Philippe laughed and shook his head. "What a pair we make, huh? And here I thought falling in love with a long-time friend was supposed to be less stressful. So much for that." He stopped analyzing the part of his sleeve that he'd been staring at and turned to look at her. She met his eyes. "I really do love you Adele. And I'm sorry for everything these past two weeks. Can you forgive me?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Of course I can. I love you too, Philippe. I always will."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"He brought his hand up slowly and brushed a strand of her hair away from her face. That simple, faint touch was powerful enough to make her cheek tingle. Adele closed her eyes and tilted her head as Philippe leaned forward to close the gap between them. And then,/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""WAIT A MINUTE." He yelled as he jerked back. Adele's eyes snapped open and Philippe shot to his feet. "What about the Prince? The Prince, and the slipper, and the really long hand kissing? What about all of that?!"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Oh," she said as she came to stand next to him. "I'd forgotten about all of that. We met last night and talked for a bit. Then he showed up here this morning because he's searching for a particular girl he danced with. I tried the shoe on just for the fun of it, but I'm not the girl he's after. It did fit, but I just have the same shoe size. I was saying goodbye and good luck to him, but then you showed up and I asked him to put on a bit of a show. I guess I wanted to see how you'd react."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""What? You mean you did that on purpose? That's so mean!" he was trying to sound angry, but he was laughing too hard./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Hey, after what you put me through for the past two weeks? I think I was entitled!"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"They were both laughing now, and, to Adele, it felt like the past two weeks hadn't happened; like they had just been some bad dream. But the dream was finally over and she was awake. She was awake and happier than she could ever remember being. And she was no longer laughing because now Philippe was holding her and kissing her. Adele returned his kiss and wrapped her arms tightly around him./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"As they broke apart and looked at each other, they both knew beyond any doubt that they were ready to go through life together, loving and trusting one another no matter what trials might come their way. They would be teammates and lovers. But they would be friends, first and forever. /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"~Epilogue~/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Their wedding came not long afterward. It was a simple affair down by the lake in the woods. Long tables set with simple fare stood up on the hillock with smaller tables scattered around them; a small cluster of chairs looked out on the bank where Adele and Philippe exchanged their vows. Philippe had initially wanted to create a stunning white wedding dress for Adele, but she insisted instead upon wearing the lavender ball gown that'd he'd not had the chance to see her in at the ball./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"It was an intimate gathering of very few people. There were various business associates of Adele's father, a few long-time family friends from both sides, and a handful of schoolmates from town who Philippe and Adele had come to know over the years. But after the ceremony, well into the reception, two rather unexpected guests appeared through the trees near the edge of the lake. Adele saw them almost at once and began waving emphatically. By the time the Prince and the young girl beside him had made their way to the long tables, everyone else present was gathered together to greet them. They exchanged the typical welcomes and congratulations as the assembly collectively bowed. The Prince, for a perfectly reasonable amount of time, stooped to kiss Adele's hand./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""I really am sorry we had to miss the ceremony. We only got your father's letter last night, and we were already obligated to be elsewhere this morning. But I see we made it in time for at least some festivities."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Sorry about missing the ceremony?" Adele laughed, "We didn't even know you were coming! Members of royalty don't usually attend merchant weddings. Father said nothing of any letter." She turned to see her father smiling sheepishly. She shook her head and smiled at him as he shooed the other guests away to leave the two couples alone to talk./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Philippe bowed slightly and extended his hand to the Prince. "We haven't had the chance to be properly introduced yet. My name is Philippe. This fair maiden with you must be the one you were chasing across the kingdom, am I right?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""That's right," affirmed the Prince as he beamed down at the girl beside him./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""It took him almost a week to find me," she said in a delicate voice. "I used to live at the far end of the kingdom. He's told me all about meeting you at the Ball, Miss Adele. I feel I shall never be able to thank you enough for encouraging him."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""That goes doubly for me. And, in case you're wondering, my royal advisor offer is still available."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele could feel a deep blush in her cheeks as well as the pride emanating from Philippe. In an attempt to quell her embarrassment, she diverted the conversation and asked a question that had been plaguing her ever since she'd tried on the glass slipper. "Okay, I've just got to know… after you left my house to keep searching, how did you make sure you found the right young lady? You didn't keep trying that glass shoe on people, did you?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"The Prince waved dismissively. "Oh, no. Of course not. You were right, there are loads of people in the kingdom with the same shoe size."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Well, what did you do instead?" Philippe asked./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Something far more sensible," the Prince's companion chimed. "He just asked me to produce the other half of the pair."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele threw up her hands in mock exasperation. "That's so much easier and faster! Why didn't you just do that to begin with?" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Because he's a boy. I'll never understand how they think."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""I know, right? Come on, let me tell you about the pre-Royal Ball antics of my newly wedded husband."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele led the young damsel over to a small table clustered with chairs. Philippe and the Prince followed behind and exchanged amused glances as their significant others giggled over them. Once seated, the two couples sat and talked and told stories./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"The reception had been winding down just as the Prince and his companion had arrived. The small gathering of guests had slowly been saying their goodbyes and trickling out, and, apart from the four of them, soon only Adele's father and Philippe's mother remained./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""I should help your parents clean up a bit," said the fair-haired maiden./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"They all stood as she got to her feet. Philippe shook his head. "You don't have to go to any trouble. Adele and I can help. You two have done enough just by coming this afternoon."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""It's no trouble, really," she assured him. "Besides, the Prince has something to discuss with you. And, to be honest, I actually kind of miss cleaning."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"She floated away toward the long tables. The Prince just chuckled at Adele and Philippe's obvious confusion./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""You were right, you know? I really think getting to know each other first has made our relationship richer."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""I'm glad. Something tells me Philippe and I won't be the only newlyweds in the kingdom for very long."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Well, we're still taking things slowly, so I'm not sure how soon it'll be. But Yeah, I think the end result will be the same."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Philippe squeezed Adele's hand and smiled. He turned to the Prince. "So, what is it that you need to discuss with us, Sire?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Ah yes! I had a splendid idea last night as I read your father's letter, Adele. Tell me, where are the two of you planning to spend your honeymoon?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""We hadn't planned on having one. Philippe makes a decent living, but not enough to travel. We were just going to move right into the rooms above his workshop."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Rubbish." The Prince's eyes were dancing, and Adele wasn't sure if they should be worried or excited. "How do you two feel about Paris?"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Paris?" Philippe echoed in disbelief. Adele couldn't get her vocal chords to work./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Yes. It's all arranged. There's a carriage waiting for you back up at the house. I sent a reply to Adele's father as early as I could this morning; your parents have packed you each a bag. My attendants should have them all stowed away by now. You'll be in Paris all this week staying in the royal apartments I myself utilize when there."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""What? You…you don't have to do this for us!" Adele finally managed./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""I know. Just like you didn't have to come and talk to me at the Ball. You could have just slipped back inside. But you didn't, and now I'm falling in love with an incredible young woman. We both wanted to thank you. So this is our wedding present to you and your love. Please, go have fun."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele, breaking all protocols, rushed forward and threw her arms around the Crown Prince. "Thank you!" she whispered breathlessly. "Thank you so, so much!"/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"After she had released him, Philippe clasped one of the Prince's hands in both of his own. "This really does mean the world to us, Your Highness. If there's anything else we can ever do for you, just name it."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""You two just go and have a wonderful time," he said. "That's all I ask."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""So," Philippe said slyly, now turning to Adele. "There's a carriage up at the house right now."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Yup," she said./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""It's going to take us to Paris as soon as we get up there."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""So I heard."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Bet I can beat you."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;""Bet you can't."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"And without another word, Adele had gathered up her skirt and the two of them were tearing back between the trees, through the garden, and up around the corner of the house, running together toward the rest of their lives./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"~~~ span style="font-size: 20pt; line-height: 30.6666641235352px;"The End/span ~~~ /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"~~~ span style="font-size: 20pt; line-height: 30.6666641235352px;"Author's Note /span~~~/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"strongspan style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24.5333347320557px;" /span/strong/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Greetings and salutations! I hope you've enjoyed reading the love story of my rather uncommunicative young couple. But I also hope it's gotten you thinking. You see, more than just a fairy-tale inspired fluff story, I wanted this to be a case study about why people fall in love the way they do. What is one of the defining factors that influences how we see love? Well, the answer is simpler than you might think. Love is what most affects how we see love./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Take Cinderella and Adele. They're both young girls living in the same kingdom. They're both members of the same class. They've both lost their mothers. So what is the pivotal divergence between the two?/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Cinderella lost her father; Adele did not. As a result, Cinderella grew up in an environment void of love and support. She wasn't looking for someone to share her life with. She was looking for someone to whisk her away and replace her life with a new, better one. She wanted to be saved./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele never knew her mother, but she still grew up with a loving father. She had a business about which she was excited to learn. She had a good friend who always supported her. She didn't want a new life; she wanted someone to share her current life with. A partner, not a savior./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Cinderella and Adele are two fictional examples of these scenarios, and thankfully it worked out in Cinderella's case. But real life isn't always so cooperative. Here are two real-world examples from my own family./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"My maternal grandmother was a lot like Cinderella. She grew up in a household that was not loving. She felt overworked and abused. She craved a new life with new people. In her haste to escape, she married the first man who took an interest, my grandfather. But unlike Cinderella, he became even more abusive than the home she had left. She once told my mother, "I knew I had made a mistake before I'd even combed the rice from my hair."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"My sister, on the other hand, is much more like Adele. She is currently engaged to a wonderful young man, but she turned him down the first time he asked her out. They had only met twice, and she refused to start placing her heart in the hands of a man she barely knew. After about nine months of growing friendship, they finally began dating. In retrospect, they've both agreed that becoming better friends first has made their relationship exponentially richer. Only time will tell if their marriage is successful, but everyone who knows them has naught but the highest of hopes for them./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"T span style="font-size: 10pt;"he latter case represents a much healthier perspective on love, and even just attraction. Obviously you should know the person you choose to marry better than you know anyone, but even dating should be taken seriously. Too many people agree to date before even knowing each other. But the very act of dating has immediate romantic connotations; despite what the world would like you to think, you can't date with no strings attached. Now, going out to dinner isn't a proposal or anything. But it's still opening the door to a great deal of vulnerability, and that door shouldn't be opened to someone who's practically a stranger. Because then, before you know if, you're neck-deep in infatuation with someone who's totally wrong for you. And by then, it's almost impossible to pull away./span/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"strong~~~ /strongspan style="font-size: 20pt; line-height: 30.6666641235352px;"Additional Notes/span strong~~~/strong/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"strongspan style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24.5333347320557px;" /span/strong/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele and Philippe's home kingdom is not the kingdom of any particular incarnation of "Cinderella," but many of its design elements do draw very heavily from two specific versions. The palace, Adele's home, and the lake where she and Philippe spend time are all patterned greatly after my favorite version of the classic story; the 1998 movie "Ever After." Additionally, both the Prince and Cinderella are described similarly to their counterparts in the classic Disney animation (with the exception of Cinderella's hair, which is down in my version)./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"There are many anti-parallels throughout the text. The ill fit of Adele's mother's dress, Adele's shabby carriage, her feet beginning to hurt in her shoes, etc./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele's experience with strawberries is a tribute to Kaylee from "Firefly."/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele and Philippe are the only two characters whose names are stated./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"The pedestal that Adele camps out on after the Ball is directly inspired by the limestone pedestals flanking either side of the Indiana State House front staircase./span/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"This is my second completed story, and I seem to have a thing for awkward, adorkable guys whose problems would all be solved by better communication. Huh. Sorry, Gents. I guess I'm just drawing on life experiences. lol/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"Adele's lavender ball gown and her mother's jewelry set are directly inspired by a gown and jewelry that I own. In fact, my friends and I all went to see the new live action "Cinderella," and we all dressed in formal wear when we went to the theater. I had my ensemble planned for months, then I began writing this story and had Adele wear the same thing, then I actually went to the movie, and then I finished up this story. So the real question is, did Adele go to the Ball cosplaying as me, or did I go to the movie cosplaying as her?/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"COSPLAYCEPTION./div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"WHERE'S LEONARDO DICAPRIO?/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"span style="font-size: 10pt;" /span/div  
div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"span style="font-size: 10pt;"/span/div


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